Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-09-15
A Model Millionaire.


the profession of the unemployed. Tn,
poor should be practical and 'prosaic
1t is better to have a permanent income
than to be fascinating. These are thu
great truths of modern life which
Hughie Erkskine never realized. Pool
Hughie! Intellectually, We must admit
he was not of much Importance. HI
never said either brilliant or an i'll
natured thing in his life. But then hi
was wonderfully goodlooking. with
his crisp brown hair, his clear cut
profile, and his gray eyes. He was as
popular with men as he was with wo
men, and he had every accomplish.
men: except that of making money.
His father had buqueathed him his
cavalry sword and History of the
Pcninsular War" in fifteen volumes.
Hughie hung the first over his looking.
glass, but the second on shelf between
Ruf's Guide and Baiiy's Magazine,
and lived on two hundred year that
an old aunt allowed him. He had tried
everything. He had gone on the stock
exchange for six months; but what was
butterfly to do among bulls and
bears? He had been tea merchant
for little longer, but had soon tired OF
Pekoo and Souchong. Then he had
tried selling dry sherry. That did not
answer. Ultimately he became moth
ing. delightful. Intellectual young man
with a perfect profile and no profess
sion.
To make matters worse, he was in
love. The girl he loved was Laura
Merton. the daughter of retired COL
onel who had lost his temper and his
digestion in Ind a. and had never
found either of them again. Laura
adored him. and he was ready to kiss
her shoestrings. They wore the hand
soonest couple in London, and had not a
penny between them. The colonel was
very fond Of Hughie. but would not
hear of any engagement.
Come to me, my boy, when you
have got TO- 900 pounds of your own,
and we will see about it," he used to
say; and Hughie looked very glum on
those days, and had to 60 to Laura for
consolation.
One morning as he was on his way
to Holland Park. where the Mertons
lived, he dropped in TO see friend of
his. Alan Trevor. Trevor was a painter.
Indeed. few people escape that now
adays. But he was also an artist, and
artists are rather rare. Personally, he
was strange, rough fellow. with .
frecklcd face and hair red However,
when he took up his brush he was
real master. and his picture was eager
ly sought after. He had been very
much attracted by Hughie, at first, it
must be acknowledged. entirely on ac-
count of his looks. The only people
a painter should know" he used to
say. ''arc people who are bete and beau
tifuI. people who are an artistic pleas
ure to look at and an intellectual re-
pose to talk to. Dandies and darlngs
rule the world!' However, after he
got 10 know Hughie better he liked
him quite as much for his bright,
buoyant spirits and his generous reck-
less nature, and had given him the
permanent entree to his studio.
When Hughe came in he found Ire
vor putting the finishing touches to a
wonderful life-size picture of beggar-
man. The beggar himself was stand
ing on raised platform in corner
of the studio. He was wizened old
man. with face like wrinkled parch-
mcnt, and most piteous expression.
Over his shoulders was flung a coarse
brown cloak, all tears and tatters; his
thick boots were patched and cobbled,
and with one hand he leaned on
rough stick, while with the other he
held out his battered hat for aims.
"What an amazing modelr' whisper
ed Hughie. as he shook hands with his
friend.
IAN amazing model?" shouted Tro-
vor at the top of his voice; Il should
think so! Such beggars as he are not
to be met with every dav. A truUaille,
moncher: a living Velasquez! My Stars!
what an etching Rembrandt would
have made of hmr'
Poor old chap" said Hughie. How
miserable he looks! But l suppose, to
you painters. his face is his fortune?"
Certainly" replied Trevor; ..you
don want a bcggar to look happy, do
you?"
How much docs model get for Sit
ing?" asked Hughic as he found him
self comfortable seat on a divan.
"A shilling an hour"
And how much do you get fer your
picture. Alanp"
%, for this get thousand"
Pounds p
Guineas. Painters, poets and ply
sicians always get guineas."
We'll, think the model should have
percentage" sad Hughie, laughing;
"thcv work quite as hard as you do"
Nonsense, nonsense Why, look
at the trouble of laying on the paint
alone and standing all day long at
ones easel I! It's all very well, Hughie,
for YOU TO talk. but assure YOU that
there are moments when art approaches
the dign ty of manual labor. But YOU
mustn't chatter; I'm very busy. Smoke
cigarette and keep quiet"
After some time the servant came in
and told Trevor that the frame maker
wanted to speak to him.
Don't run away, Hughie," he said,
as he went out. Il will be back in a
moment"
The old beggar.man took advantage
OF Trevor's absence to rest for a mo-
ment on wooden bench that was be-
hind him. He looked SO forlorn and
wrotched that Hughie could not help
plying him, and he felt in his pocket
to see what money he had. All he
could find was a sovereign and some